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KAT
As dawn broke, the town’s skyline vanished behind us, swallowed by the woodlands. I slumped in the back of the police cruiser, a stark contrast to what I thought I’d be doing today—going to classes, then work.
If there was one bright side, it was that I didn’t have to face my stepdad alone. He’d come down to the station last night to basically state that I was old enough to take responsibility for my actions and that I owed him the cost of getting his charger fixed.
Son of a bitch.
He can crawl back into the roach hole he came out of and die there for all I cared. I took the fall for his damn drugs.
We drove for hours, which felt like minutes. The institute was apparently a place of healing, growth, and learning new skills if I so choose. I had no idea what to expect, but my knees hadn’t stopped bouncing since we left the station that morning. My neck hurt because the hard bed in one of the spare station cells was terrible.
“Katerina, don’t forget that you get one phone call you can use if there’s anyone you want to call.” Officer Garcia smiled at me, offering me her phone through the metal bars between the front and back of the cruiser.
“I’d like that.” I accepted the phone with a shaky hand.
I dialed Emma’s number, biting my lip as it started to ring. Was she okay? Did she cry for the rest of the night?
The phone picked up. “Hello?”
“Em, it’s me, Kat.” My words quivered as I spoke. “Are you okay?”
“It’s great to hear your voice.” There were sniffles on her side of the phone. “I’m so sorry, Kat. I got you into so much trouble, and you got arrested, and—”
“Em, stop. Don’t do that to yourself. I’m okay, and even if it didn’t go according to plan, we got the same result. You’re away from your uncle.”
“I guess.” She sniffled. “I just feel like shit that they’re sending you away when you did nothing wrong. I shouldn’t have called you.”
“Em, I’m actually looking forward to learning some new skills at this place. I’m told it’s not a prison, but like one of those new age, motivation places.” I laughed, my stomach knotting as I met Officer Garcia’s gaze in the rearview mirror. She arched an eyebrow at me. I was stretching the truth, but I didn’t want Emma to worry when her life has also turned upside down. “Anyway, where are you now?”
“On my way to a distant cousin, I didn’t know I had, so that should be fun. She’s in her sixties and was super excited to have me live with her for as long as needed. I’m thinking I might transfer to a college, too,” she replied, her voice trembling. “I want to start fresh, but I hate that you can’t be with me like we talked about moving out together for so long.”
Officer Garcia glanced at me, reaching her hand out for her phone. Guess time was up.
“Six months and I’ll join you, okay? Looks like I gotta go. I don’t know if I’ll get to call you until I’m released. Just remember I love you, Em, and stay safe.”
“Kat, I-I…” She was crying, heaving for breath.
“Em, it’s going to be okay.” I wished I could reach through the phone and hold her. It killed me that we couldn’t be together at this time.
“I know. Love you lots, and I’m sorry for doing this to you.” She hung up, and I gave the phone back to the officer.
I sighed and slumped back in the seat, staring out at the rich, dense woods we passed, the greenery, and the bright sunlight. The day had no right being so glorious on such a day.
Emma was safe. That was all that mattered. I kept reminding myself that the institute couldn’t be worse than tiptoeing around my stepdad.
The cruiser turned into a winding driveway between two massive pine trees, the lush greenery swallowing us whole. My heart hammered as we got closer. Why was this place out in the middle of the sticks?
“Am I going to be safe here?” I asked, fumbling with my seatbelt.
“Katerina, the only thing you need to worry about here are the mosquitoes.” Officer Garcia laughed, the sound echoing in the cruiser. “Go in with an open mind, and you might actually enjoy your stay and learn some new things.”
I appreciated her trying to lighten the mood. All I could think about was the look on my stepdad’s face as he betrayed me, the terror on Emma’s face, and the uncertainty of what lay ahead for me.
“Thanks for helping me and Em. Not many people would do that. It means a lot.”
She nodded with a grin and kept driving.
As the police cruiser glided to a halt near imposing wrought-iron gates, a twinge of trepidation fluttered in my stomach. I pressed against the window, staring at the gates that towered over us. Perched high on one of the stone pillars, a metal sign glinted in the morning light, bearing the words ‘Shadow Hills Institute.’ The etching seemed to leer at me.
